Streamline feeding means in printing machines



y 1951 E. c. SAUERMAN 2,552,869

STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS IN PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 10, 1945 6Sheets-Sheet 1.

May 15, 1951 E. c. SAUERMAN 2,552,869

STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS IN PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 10, 1945 6Sheets-Sheet 2 May 15, 1951 E. c. SAUERMAN STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS INPRINTING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 10, 1945 y 1951 E. c.SAUERMAN 2,552,869

STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS IN PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 10, 1945 sSheets-Sheet 4 57915; C Saae'rzzzaze y 1951 E. c. SAUERMAN 2,552,869

STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS IN PRINTING MACHINES Filed March 10, 1945 6Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 15, 1951 STREAMLINE FEEDING MEANS 1NPRINTING MACHINES Ernst C. Sauerman, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 10,1945, Serial No. 581,975

This invention relates to printing apparatus, and is more particularlyconcerned with the provision of an apparatus of this type in which a'plurality of flexible, fibrous cards serve as printing plates and arefed through the apparatus for printing information, such as names andaddresses'onto material to be printed.

Briefly, this invention contemplates the provi sion of a plurality ofprinting cards which are preferably formed of relatively lightweight,f1- brous sheet material such as paper stock having the rear facethereof formed with a dull, glazed finish suitable to receive pigmentcoated printing characters which are transferable to the surface ofother material, such as paper, by the use of a suitable solvent. Theapparatus hereinafter described is particularly adapted for use inprintin means and addresses, or other information, provided on each ofthe several printing cards onto a relatively long strip of paper whichmay thereafter be cut transversely intermediate each set of names andaddresses to provide individual slips suitable for attachment toarticles to be mailed or for insertion in window-type envelopes.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a printingapparatus of this type embodying means for arranging a plurality ofprinting cards in a row and in predetermined overlapping relation formovement into printing engagement with a strip of paper. By arrangingthe cards in overlapping relation, the spacing between the sets ofprinted matter on the strip material may readily be varied to suittheoperator by merely adjusting the overlapping relation of the cards.

This invention further contemplates the provision of improved means forwithdrawing printing cards, one at a time, from the bottom of a hopperprovided to receive the cards in superimposed, stacked relation,together with improved means for positioning the withdrawn printed cardin proper alignment for delivery between suitable feed rolls.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a plurality ofprinting card bearing individual names and addresses, or other printedmatter, and wherein said cards are adapted to serve the dual function ofseparate printing plates and also as a part of a record card system.

This invention further contemplates the provision of an apparatus ofthis type which is relatively inexpensive in construction, simple inoperation and which will not readily get out of order.

5 Claims. (Cl. 271-32) This invention embodies other novel features,details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafterset forth in the specification and claims and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing an apparatus embodyingfeatures of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing aprinting card pusher mechanism in its forward position for delivering aprinting card between a pair of feed rollers.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the opposite sideof the machine from that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view corresponding to Fig. 3, showingprinting card pusher mechanism in its rearward position.

sponding to Figs. 7 and 8, showing the relative position of parts andthe means employed for moving the back edge of a printing card intoaligning engagement with a pusher mechanism.

Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the rear side of a plurality of printingcards arranged in over lapping relation as viewed along the line Ill-l0of Fig. 3.

Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of same.

Fig. 12 is a plan view showing a portion of a strip of paper after samehas been printed.

Fig. 13 is a perspective View showing the front side of a printin card.

Fig. 14 is a schematic sectional view showing a modified form ofapparatus for feeding envelopes into printing position with the printingcards.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view of the card carrier illustratingparticularly the cardengaging converging recess.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary detailed perspective viewof the card carrier asshown in Fig. 15.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of thisinvention, the machine illustrated therein is adapted to employ aplurality of cards 6 for transferring information "by means of acennecting link 29.

a hectograph ribbon or the like between the card and the platen of thetypewriter. D'uri ng l'the printing operation, the surface of the stripto be printed is coated with a suitable pigment solvent which acts totransfer a portion of the pigment from the pigment "coated'characte rs 9onto the strip material I. As this method of printing is well known tothose skilled in this art, it is believed unnecessary to describefurther "the kind of paper of which cards 6 may be formedgor aparticular type of pigment or pigment solvent which may be employed toaccomplish the transfer of printed information from thecards onto thestrip.

The printing machine comprises a hopper H adapted to receive a pluralityof printing cards 6 in superimposed stacked relation. The hopper is openat the bottom and provided with a ledge l2 and a pair of fingers it forengagement with the front and back edges, respectively, of the bottomprinting card within the hopper. The

' fingers 13 are mounted for longitudinal adjustment in recesses formedin the lower end of brackets 14 secured to the back side of the hopper.

7 Pneumatic means are employed for engagement with the -'print ing cards5 for withdrawing same, one at'a time, from the bottom of the hop- 'perI l, and com-prises a suction nozzle I6 formed of rubber or othersuitable resilient material and connected at the outer end of an airconduit 11. The air conduit =11 is carried at the forward end of a pivotblock l8 provided with a suitable air passage therethrough (not shown)leading to a fiexible 'a ir conduit 19. The block 18 is pivotallysupported at the lower end of a lever 2| which is'se'cured intermediateits ends on a shaft as for movin the pivot block it and the nozzle I i 5longitudinally'of the machine.

The pivot block i8 is formed with a re'arwardly disposed arm 21 which ispivotally connected to "an actuating arm 28 journaled on the shaft 22 Asuitable roller 31 is journaled at the connection between the actuatingarm 28 and the connecting link 29 for engagement with the operatingsurface with acam member 32. The roller 3| is maintained in engagementwith the cam 32 by means of a spring 33 having its one end connected toa connecting link 29 and its upper end connected to a bracket 34. Thecams 26 and 32 are secured to a cam shaft 36 which is journaled inbearing brackets 23.

A card carrier 38 is mounted upon suitable guide members 39 forreciprocable movement longitudinally of the machine. Guide members 39are supported between side frame members 4 l. The forward end of thecard carrier 38 is provided with a converging recess 42 adapted toreceive the back edge of a printing card 6. An actuating lever 43 isjournaled intermediate its ends on a shaft 44 and has its lower endbifurcated at 45 for engagement with a transverse bar 46 provided on thecard carrier 38. A roller 41 is journaled on the upper end of the lever43 for engagement with the surface of a cam 48 and is maintained inengagement therewith by means of a tension spring 49 having its one endconnected to the lever 43 and its other end connected to a Iever'EElwhich is secured to the shaft 22. It will thus be seen that thespring 39serves to hold the rollers 23 and 4! in operative engagement with theirrespective cams 26 and 48.

An alignment roll 5! is journaled for counterclockwise rotationalmovement on the frame 4|, and a pair of card alignment fingers 52 aredisposed adjacent opposite ends of the roll 5! for clockwise rotationalmovement. Fingers 52 are carriedupon collars 5 l which are mounted uponthe inner ends of shafts 53 which are journaled on the frame 5! abovethe roll 5 I. A pair of drivirig gears 54 are secured on the ends of theroll on a pair of upright members 72.

frame H to receive and engage the sides of printing cards deliveredthereto by the reciprocable card carrier 38. The lower feed rolls 5'!and 58 are provided with gears 59 and so, respectively, and driven in aclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5, by means hereinafter described.Two pairs of idler rolls 8i and '52 are journaled on stud shaftsprovided on brackets $3 and 54, respectively, which in 'turn'arejournaled on the sides "of the frame 41 to move their respective idlerrolls 6| and 62 along an arcuate path. The idler rolls 6! "and '82 areurged into operative engagement with their respective feed rolls toengage printing cards adjacent their side edges only by means ofa'comp'ression spring 65 interposed between the brackets 63 and 64.

A pair of printing rolls 6% and ti are journaled, one above the other,to receive printing "cards 6 and the strip 1 therebetween. The upperroll 56 is journaledon the frame 4i and the lower rolls? is journaled ina pair of floating bearings '68 which are arranged for vertical movementon the frame 41. The floating bearings 68 are normally urged upwardly bymeans of suitable compression springs (not shown) to maintain the lowerroll '61 in tight operative 'engagement with the upper roll 55. Theprinting rolls are driven in timed relation by means of interme'shinggears '69 and is mounted 'on the ends of the rolls '66 and er,respectively.

The strip 7 to be printed is preferably mounted in rolled form on asuitable reel H journaled After the strip passes through printing rolls5%) and "6'5 it is wound upon a reel 73 jourr'i'aled on a standard 74. Adriving pulley I5 is secured to the reel H and acts through a suitablebelt 16 to drive a pulley l7 secured to the reel 13. The

belt l6 and pulley W are constructed to permit slippage due to theconstantly changing diam- 66 and 6'! and comprises a driving roll 18, a*driven roll 19 enda belt 8i.

The belt 8i slopes downwardly towards a card stacking plate 82 which isarranged to receive and stack cards harried by the belt 8|. As theprinting cards are disposed in overlapping relation as they pass throughthe printing rolls, it will be seen that the belt 8! and plate 82 causesthe cards to become stacked in an inclined plane against the plate 82. i

A wiping strip 83 formed of absorbent mate rial is disposed forengagement with the printing surface of the strip 1 prior to its passagebetween the printing rolls, and a suitable pigment solvent liquid issupplied thereto through a conduit 84 from a supply reservoir 86.

The several parts of the apparatus adapted to be actuated forwithdrawing the printing cards 6 from the hopper, for aligning thecards, for feeding the cards and for transferring printed informationfrom the cards onto the strip 1 are driven in timed relation by means ofan electric motor 8?. The motor Bl acts through a. sprocket 8%, drivechain 89, a gear box 93 and driven sprocket Hi to drive a sprocket 92which, in turn, acts through a chain 94 to drive a sprocket 95 securedto the upper feed roll 56. A sprocket es is also secured to the upperprinting roll 66 to drive the cam shaft 36 through a chain 91 and asprocket 98. Another sprocket 99 is secured on the opposite end of thecam shaft 35 and acts through a chain lfll to drive a sprocket H32secured to the alignment roll 5|. One of the gears 54 acts through threeidler gears H14, H35 and 185 to drive the gear 59 secured to the feedroll 51. The gear 59, in turn, acts through an idler gear [01 to drivethe gear 69 provided on the feed roll 58. The card stacking belt 8| isdriven from the gear 59 secured to the upper printing roll 55 through anidler gear I08 which meshes with a driven gear I 09 secured to the roll18.

A rotary type air valve, generally indicated at H l, is connected to theair conduit l9 and to a vacuum pump (not shown) and is mounted on theframe 23 below one end of the cam shaft 36 for operative engagement by acam H2, the cam H2 acting to rotate the valve in one direction and atension spring H3 being employed to return the valve to its normalposition.

In the operation of the machine thus described, printing cards 6 arewithdrawn from the bottom of the hopper I I one at a time by theengagement of the suction nozzle IS with the bottom card, as illustratedin Fig. 7. When the suction nozzle I5 is thus engaged the cam H2 acts toopen the rotary valve III to exhaust air from the conduits l1 and I9 andthe pivot block IB. When the lower card is thus engaged to the suctionnozzle IS, the earns 26 and 32 act through their respective levers 2|and 28 to move the suction head I B downardly and rearwardly to theposition shown in Fig. 8. Due to the inherent flexibility of theprinting cards, they may readily be bent to permit the movement of therearward edges thereof past the stop fingers l3.

After the rear edge of the printing card has been lowered to theposition shown in Fig. 8, the alignment fingers 52 rotate intoengagement with the upper surface of the disengaged card to move sameinto engagement with the alignment roll 5!, as illustrated in Fig. 9.The fingers 52 then coact with the roll 5| to move the printing cardrearwardly into the converging recess 42 formed on the forward end ofthe reciprocable card carrier 38.

The card carrier 38 is then moved from" its rearward position indicatedin Fig. 9 to its forward position as shown in Fig. 3, by means of thecam spect to the driven sprocket wheel 98. a

48 which acts through the lever 43 and crossbar 46. As illustrated inFigs. 3, 10 and 11, the card carrier operates to move each printing card6 into superimposed overlapping relation with the preceding cards. Thisoverlapping relation of cards permits variable spacing between thepigment coated characters 9 on one card with respect to the printingcharacters provided on the adjacent card. The spacing between theprinting characters on the adjacent cards may be varied by merelyadjusting the verticalposition of the roller 41 on the lever 43 in orderto either increase or decrease the stroke of the card carrier 38. I

The card carrier 38 is adapted to move eac printing card forwardly forengagement between the coacting feed rolls 5'! and BI which, in turn,deliver the cards in overlapping relation to the second set of feedrolls 58 and 62. The printing cards move from the feed rolls 58 and 62between the printing rolls 56 and 61 for transverse line printingengagement with the surface of the strip 1. A suitable pigment solventis applied to the surface of the strip 1, by means of the brush 83,immediately prior to printing engagement with the printing cards inorder that a portion of the pigment provided on the pigment coatedprinting characters 9 may be transferred onto the strip 1 to providenames and addresses, generally indicated at 5, arranged at predeterminedspaced intervals, as illustrated in Fig. 12. If desired, a suitablepigment mark of the type shown at 4 in Fig. 12 may be printed inalignment with the printed matter 5 provided on the strip 1. The marks 4are adapted for registry with an electric eye employed in a machinedevised to cut the strip 1 transversely between each set of addresses.

After the printing cards leave the printing rolls 65 and El they arecarried in overlapping relation down the belt 8i and thence upwardlyinto stacked relation against the stacking plate 82 for removal from themachine.

Fig. 14 illustrates a modified form of this invention comprising ahopper H6 adapted to receive a plurality of envelopes H1 in stackedrelation for delivery one at a time into printing engagement with theprinting cards 6. In the form of envelope feeding apparatus shown, theenvelopes are arranged in the hopper with their flap portions H8disposed downwardly and rearwardly for engagement by a reciprocable feedarm H9. The feed arm H9 is reciprocated by means of an actuating arm |2isecured to a rocker shaft I22 which is adapted to be driven in timedrelation with the card feeding apparatus by any suitable means (notshown).

In operation, the forward end of the feed arm engages under the flap I[8 of the bottom envelope in the hopper to move the envelope forward andbetween the upper printing roll 66 and an idler roll I23, afterwhich theenvelope is delivered between the rolls B6 and 61 for printingengagement with a card 5 by the idler rolls I24. The surface of theenvelope to be printed is coated with a suitable liquid pigment solventby means of the wiper 83.

In the printing of envelopes, it will be noted that the printing cardswill be arranged in spaced apart relation rather than in overlappingrelation. The amount of spacing between the printing card may readily bevaried by merely changing the ratio of the sprocket wheel 96 with reasess-e mg-saperitweuid 6f course be necessarytoar- 4 ang'e the pi inting cards fi at suitablyzspaced inteivals to corresporid with the lengthof the wrapper to be cut from the strip of wrappingpaper.

1"-be noted' that the .pigment coated racters pr'ovided on thecardrfiareb at a 'ytime broiightdnto wiping contact with t of the apparatus. This'feature of the ikie'd nve'nt p1 merit coated printing characters actsto 1 mear'sameand to therebyiproduce unsatisfactory 'r'iti-ngimpressions upon the strip or other 'main tirig cards adj'acenttheirside edges'by :mea-ns e 'fiiigers 52 and idler rolls't l and 92.While-this inventionhas been shown' in but two msfit is 'obvious totho'se skilled inthe art that t is ndt so li'i'n-it'ed but issusceptioleof various anges and mo'difie'ations -Wi-thl1t departing 'mthe 'spi'fi-t and soope 'of the claimed inven- T reisimas'm invention:

*1 'In a printingapparatus for transferring inform lism 1mm printing'cards on' to sheet mat'erial, comprising aho'pper "for holding 5 a stackof said printing cards, suction me'ansior remov- "ing the lowermost card"fromsaid stack oneat a time;meansformoving'saidsu'ction-meansdownwardl-y from"said"sta'ck and means-for moving said suction means"laterally from said "stack 'to effect substantial "hormarmovem'ent ofsaid' low- "er'nios'tpard"withrespect to "the "oard 'n'ext above"id-stack;a pair ofcoacting pressure rollsyrecoating means for"delivering cards removed fi o'in"said"stack 'ina row'aiid in"overlapping rela- 'tionbetween saidipressu'remolls, means for feed "ingsheet" "material "bet'vi eeirsaid preZsrire rolls fo'rprinting-"engagement with said printing cards. In'aprintingapparatus'fdrtransferringinformation frofnprinting cards ontoshee't'materialf'cdmprising a" hopper for holding a stack of emanating"cards, suction meansforre'movin th'e'ldwerm'ost card fromsaidsta'c'k'one at a time, card delivery means, rotary means forcarrying said card from said suctionmeans to said "de- "livery'means,said delivery means comprising'a "reciprocating pusher member forpushing said cards forwardly in a row and in overlapping relationship, apair of coacting'pressure rolls'between which said cards are carried bysaid piisher -'me"mber, means for feeding sheet material between-saidpressurerolls for printing engagementwith said printing cards.

3. In a printing apparatus" for transferring information fromprintingcards on to sheet material, comprising ahopper for holding a stack ofsai'dprinting cards, suction means for removing thelowrmost card fromsaid stackone-at a time, card deliverymeans,--rotary-means forcarrying-said eard from-said suction means tosaid deliverymeanspsaid'deliverymeans comprising a the 'printin'g'of I-iames-andaddresses on wrap- I the per ationof the apparatus :thusdefonds-essential as I a wipin-g'contact against :wreciprocating pushermember eards forwardly in a rrow and in overlapping i relationship, a 1pair of coacting pressure rolls be tween'whichsaid cards are-carriedbysaidpusher member, means for feeding lsheet material be- :for pushingsaid tween said pressure rolls for printing engagement with saidprintingwcards, and'means for changing -the stroke-of said reciprocatingpusher member to change the degree of overlap of said cards.

-4.: :In a, printingapparatus for transferring in- 'formation-fromprinting cards on to sheet material, comprising-a hopper for holdingastack of "saidviprinting'oards; suction means for removingthe-lowermost card from said stack one at atime, oam means for movingsaid suction means downwardly-from said-stack and cam means for mov-,.-'ing said suction means laterally from said stack a to effect-,substantiall-y, normal movement of said lowermost card with respect tothe card next 'aabove in said stack, a pair of coac'ting pressure rollsreciprocating'ineans for delivering cards re- -moved from said stack ina row and in overlap- .aping relation between said pressure rolls, meansria-l being printed. This ieatureof the inven- I tion- -is-accomplishe'dby always engaging the .for feeding sheet :material between saidpressureurolls for printing engagement with said .Lprinting cards.

:5. In a printing apparatus for transferring invformation from;printingcards-on to sheet materiaL'cQmpriSing a'hopper-forjiholding a stack ofsaid :iprinting cards, suction :means for removing thelowermostcardfromsaid'stack one at;a time,

icarddelivery means, rotary means for carrying saideardfrom said suctionmeans to saiddelivery means, :said delivery means comprising a :recipro-'icatingipusher "member for-pushingisaidl cards: forwardly in airow andin overlapping relationship, a pairioficoacting pressure rolls betweenwhich said cards are carried by said pusher member,

c'hang'e the degree -'of overlap of said Jo'ards, said {last mentionedmeanscomprisinga lever, a cam e *for operatingsaid lever,- and me'an's'for changing the effective length of'said lever.

- ERNST C; SAUERMAN.

R-EFERENCES. 5 CITED The following references "arejof record in thevi'fileof this patent:

-,UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name :Date

1,6175755 Rogers i -"-Nov.--"4, 19 13 1,196,815 Slauson i 'Sept.'-'5,-1916 1 ,325,576 Pierson s s; Dec. $23; 1'919 1-,"3'4E9,80'7 DebrayerAug. 17, 1920 "1 ,44'8 3-14 Pedriok I\IaI. I3, 1923 Ii-B36i405 "BrandtJuly '19, 1927 23545344 Storck Sept515, 1936 2,184,362 S'auerman Dec.26,1939 21 :,0I4= 'Elliott Dec.' 26,1939 23220300 Tathwell Nov. 5, 194022-28109 Gates -Jan. 7,1941 2 237 :363 "Ritzerfeld Apr; 8,1941 T 22551108 1 fPflanze. Sept.'9,1941 -2,274,590 Cook a Feb. 24, 1942 2,283,1 .19 Williams June 30,1944: 2,419,345 Elliott Apr522, 1947FOREIGN'PATENTS Number I Country Date 492,755 iGreat-Britain i Sept.27,1938

